Shaner parents question proposal to close school

Thursday

Sep 26, 2013 at 8:21 PM

Celia Llopis-Jepsen

Members of the community at Shaner Elementary asked district administrators Thursday evening why their school was under consideration for closing, and what would happen to the students and building if that came to pass.

About 25 parents and teachers gathered at Shaner to hear a presentation by Topeka Unified School District 501 administrators for a potential $90 million bond issue.

The proposal includes security upgrades across the district, along with more classroom technology and other plans, but also involves closing two elementaries and replacing them with a new one adjacent to Jardine Middle School.

The school board can modify the proposal, reject it or accept it as is. If passed, the plan could be put to a public vote in April.

The district’s recommendation is to close Avondale West and Shaner elementaries and move the students to the new elementary. That would create another preschool through eighth-grade campus. The district has two other such campuses.

Shaner or Avondale West might then become a preschool facility, as the district hopes to expand the number of preschoolers it serves.

The board hasn’t agreed at this point that Shaner and Avondale West should close, and it also is considering Bishop and Stout elementaries as other options for closing.

Those at the meeting asked about alternatives to closing Shaner, 1600 S.W. 34th St., and whether it would be possible to fund improvements in the district without taking on new debt.

A few said the reason they liked Shaner was its size. Shaner is the district’s smallest elementary, with less than 200 students this year, which they said offered a feeling of community.

Others felt the proposal might have advantages and supported the idea of adding more preschool in the district.

Administrators noted the feedback and will present it to the board. They also agreed to produce information about the ongoing public hearing sessions in Spanish for schools like Shaner, where many families aren’t native English speakers.

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